Apparatus for generating oxygen, especially for breathing purposes



June '21, 1938.. M. HAUSMANN APPARATUS FOR GENERATING OXYGEN, ESPECIALLY FOR BREATHING PURPOSES 2 sheds-Shea; 1

Filed Oct. 8, 1956 Max Hauumann In van for By His Afforneys June 21, 1938. M. HAUSMANN 2 APPARATu s FOR GENERATING OXYGEN, ESPECIALLY FOR BREATHING PURPOSES Filed Oct. s, 1956 2 she ts-s eet 2 Maw Hausmann In ven for By His Afforneys Patented June 21, 1938 UNITED: STATES APPARATUS FOR- GENERATING OXYGEN, ESPECIALLY FOR BREATHING PURPOSES Max Hausmann, Berlin-Zehlendorf-Mitte, Germany, assignor to I.

G. Farbenindustrie Aktiengesellschaft, Frankfort-on-the-Main, Germany Application October 8,

1936, Serial No. 104,585

In Germany November 27, 1935 4 Claims.

This invention relates to apparatus for generating oxygen, especially for breathing purposes.

Extended use is made forartificial respiration in cases of gas poisoning of so-called oxygen rescue apparatus,in which the oxygen is administered from pressure flasks which are fitted with reducing valves. This method of supplying oxygen is very costly, and is also inconvenient in practice for the reason that the pressure flasks are heavy and require constant regulation.

In contradistinction thereto the present invention relates to an oxygen rescue apparatus in which oxygen is supplied by per se known compositions generating oxygen by the thermal de- 15. composition of chemical substances, more particularly chlorates and perchlorates. Said substances can either be accommodated in the form of a moulded body in a generator fiask designed for repeated use, or be fitted in a closed containerwhich is discarded after a single use only, the oxygen generating body being held therein firm and secure against shook by means of a heat insulating and filtering sheathingenclosing it on all sides in the manner of a cartridge. Devices of this kind are described, for example, in British specification No. 451,170.

When the oxygen-liberating substance and its container is simply placed in the case therefor there is always the inherent danger that me- 301chanical influences (a shock or the like) may bring about unintentional ignition of the oxygenliberating substance. There is also the possibility of the case being closed up after the rescue work without removing the still highly heated and 35; in many cases not completely consumed oxygenliberating substance therefrom. The accumulation of heat ensuing from such procedure, may lead to damage to the whole apparatus and particularly to the respiratory bag. The need thus an, arises of designing an apparatus that is completely proof against such contingencies and the consequent disadvantages.

The present invention aims at protecting oxygen rescue apparatus of the foregoing kind 45.- against improper handling by fitting the container for the oxygen-generating substance, together with the ignition cap connected thereto in a housing or box in such a way that unintentional i. e. premature ignition is made'impossible, and that after the ignition device has been operated the apparatus is prevented from closing by a locking device until the oxygen-generating substance or the container holding same is removed. This can be effected for example, by disposing 55; the container receiving or-containing the oxygengenerating substance, in the housing case in such a manner that in its inoperative position it lies flat on the floor of the box with its ignition'cap immediately adjacent the wall of the housing'and thus protected from being unintentionally actuated, from which for the purpose of operation it is raised by means of a lever into an inclined position in which said ignition cap is freely accessible. In order moreover to prevent the box from being closed when no longer required, without previous removal therefrom of the consumed mass, or the container containing same, a looking device is provided which is brought into the engaging position either on actuating the ignition device or on lifting the container into the inclined position, and which inzthis position prevents the box from being closed, and which can only be released after the oxygen-generating substance or its container is removed, thus enabling the case to be closed. The frame holding the container may itself be adapted toserveas the locking device, being held locked in the raised position until the consumed mass or the container is removed from the box.

In order more clearly to understand the invention, reference is made to the accompanying drawings, which illustrate diagrammatically and by way of example, one embodiment of apparatus in accordance therewith and in which:

Figs. 1 and 2 are elevations of the apparatus in the open and closed positions; I

Fig. 3 is a plan of said apparatus;

Fig. 4 is a detail on a larger scale.

In these drawings it has been assumed that the oxygen-liberating substance is snugly disposed in a container in the manner of a cartridge for use on one occasion only, and that two such cartridges are provided which act on a common oxygen feed pipe. This arrangement enables oxygen to be supplied either from one container only or from both containers simultaneously, and thus to adapt the quantity of oxygen to the minimum and maximum requirements of the patient. Atthe same time said arrangement enables an exhausted container to be replaced by a fresh one when necessary, without completely interrupting the supply of oxygen.

Referring particularly to Figs. 1-3, a baseplate 0 is pivoted on the hinge m, in a protective housing or box (1 provided with a suitable lid (not shown), said plate being provided at both ends with rests for receiving the cylindrical containers at supplying the oxygen. At the top end of each container there is provided an ignition knob by which liesclose to the-wall of the housing-when the plate is in the lowered position, while its lower ends are provided with pipes f and g for leading away the evolved oxygenv to a main pipe k with connection piece Zby way of the connection cocks h and 2' respectively. e is a notch catch fitted between the two containers and provided with a spring, said catch locking the base-plate in the raised position when said plate is raised into the working position withthe aid of the handle it. Connection pipes f and g are made of metal,

in order to avoid their being damaged by the heat, and in accordance with the invention they serve at the same time as levers to open or close the valves h and 2 respectively. Springs f1 and 91 respectively cause an automatic closing of the valves 71, and i when the screw coupling is disconnected.

When the apparatus is put into use the lid of the box is first opened and the base plate together with the containers lying thereon is raised by means of the handle n until the catch 6 springs into locking position (see Fig. 1). The ignition caps, hitherto protected from being actuated by the wall of the box, are thus exposed. After actuating the ignition device a uniform current of oxygen is evolved, the dissipation of the heat thus developed being facilitated by the inclined position of the container 0.. The oxygen passes through the pipes 1 and/or 9 and through the valves h and 2' respectively into the main pipe is, and is conducted through the connection I to the place of consumption.

Referring to Figs. 3 and 4, p is a catch-plate pivotally secured to the mounting plate provided with a counter spring and having noses 101, p2, 2 3, said catch-plate being held in the cooked position by means of a spring bolt, provided with a nose p7 engaging the nose p; as long as the ignition pin, which on being actuated, acts on the spring bolt by means of a bell-crank lever, is not operated. If this locking be released by the operation of the ignition cap I), the catch-plate will first turn under the action of the spring tension only until the nose pa snaps into a notch catch p4 which in turn is provided with a nose 2 s and a spring 2 5. This causes the nose in to protrude over the wall d of the box and thus prevents the base plate being lowered to the floor of the box once the ignition device has been operated. The arrangement is such that the spring tension applied to the catch plate 11 is prevented from rotating it any further by the nose p2 resting against the wall of the container a as long as the latter remains in the box. Not until the container is removed can the spring rotate the catch-plate any further, i. e. to such an extent that the nose p3 presses back the nose p5 and therefore also the notch catch m. In this position a cam mounted on the spring ps secures the notch-catch, so that the catch-plate p can now be returned to its original position until the nose m is in position behind the nose of the spring bolt p7. The simultaneous movement of the nose p1 exerts tension on the spring ZJs, so that the cam mounted on said spring releases the notch catch in, the latter returning to its original position. In the meantime however, the nose 101 has returned to its original position, thus enabling the base-plate to be lowered and therefore the case to be closed.

I claim:

1. Apparatus for generating oxygen, comprising a housing or box provided with a lid, a baseplate pivotally secured near one of its ends to said housing or box so as to be adapted to be lowered into a position substantially flush and in parallel with the bottom of said housing or box, and, upon opening of said lid, to be raised into an inclinedposition, a cartridge detachably secured to said base-plate containing an oxygengeneratingsubstance and provided with an ignition device, said cartridge being so disposed on said base-plate that said ignition device is accessible for operation only when said base-plate is in inclined position, and means, operating on said ignition device being actuated, for preventing the closing of said lid upon said housing or box as long as said cartridge is in position on said base-plate.

2. Apparatus for generating oxygen, comprising a housing or box provided with a lid, a baseplate pivotally secured near one of its ends to said housing or box so as to be adapted to be lowered into a position substantially flush and in parallel with the bottom of said housing or box, and, upon opening of said lid to be raised into an inclined position, a cartridge detachably secured to said base-plate containing an oxygengenerating substance and provided with an ignition device, said cartridge being disposed on said base-plate in such a manner that, on the base-plate being lowered, said ignition device is adjacent to and protected from being actuated by, one of the walls of said housing or container, while being freely accessible on the base-plate when in an inclined position, and means, operating on said ignition device being actuated, for

preventing the closing of said lid upon said hens-- ing or box as long as said cartridge is in position on said base-plate.

3. Apparatus for generating oxygencomprising a housing provided with a cover, a base plate pivotally mounted near one of its ends in said housing whereby said base plate may be raised from an inoperative position within and substantially flush with the bottom of said housing to an inclined or operative position, a cartridge containing oxygen-generating material detachably secured to said base plate, an ignition device on said cartridge at the end farthest from the base plate pivot, said cartridge being so arranged on said base plate that said ignition device is accessible for operation only when the base plate is in operative position, means for locking said base plate in operative position comprising a three-nosed catch plate pivotally mounted on said base plate, a spring attached to said base plate and said catch plate tending to'force the latter into and beyond locking position,'means for holding said catch plate in a neutral or cocked position, means actuated by the operation of said igniting device for operating said holding means to cause the same to release the catch plate thereby allowing the catch plate to take a locking position'with one of its noses in engagement with the housing and another of its noses in engagement with the cartridge.

4. Apparatus for generating oxygen comprising a housing provided with a cover, a base plate pivotally mounted near one of its ends in said housing whereby said base plate may be raised from an inoperative position within and substantially flush with the bottom of said housing to an inclined or operative position, a catch for holding said base plate in operative position, a cartridge containing oxygen generating material detachably secured to said base plate, an ignition device on said cartridge at the end farthest from said base plate pivot, said cartridge being so ar-- ranged on said base plate that said ignition 75 device is accessible for operation only when the base plate is in operative position, means for locking said base plate in operative position when the ignition device is actuated said locking means comprising a three-nosed catch plate pivotally mounted on said base plate, a spring attached to said base plate and said catch plate tending to force the latter into and beyond lockv ing position, a spring bolt arranged between said ignition device and said catch plate for en aging one of the noses of said catch plate to thereby hold the latter in a cooked position, means actuated by the operation of said ignition device for operating said spring bolt to cause the same to release said nose thereby allowing said catch plate to turn to locking position with a second nose of said catch plate in engagement with said housing and the third nose of said catch plate in engagement with said cartridge, a notched member pivotally mounted on said bed plate adjacent said catch plate provided with a spring foriorcing said notched member forward toward said catch plate, a notch of said notched member being so positioned as to receive and hold the first mentioned nose against backward movement when the catch plate is in looking position, a spring arm provided with a cam mounted on said base plate adjacent said notched member, a second notch in said notched member arranged to engage with said cam to hold said notched member in retracted position, removal of said cartridge from said base plate freeing the aforesaid third nose thereby permitting said catch plate to turn so that said first mentioned nose forces the notched member into retracted position, resetting of the catch plate to cocked posi- 

